Conveying system



Oct. 7; 1941. A. L. STONE 2,258,429 7 CONVEYING SYSTEM\ Filed Dec. 20, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 v FIIE E INVENTOR.

, I i ,4//e/7 L. fife/7e L l I ATTORNEY.

A. L.'STONE v CONVEYING SYSTEM Oct. 7, 1941.

s Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 20, 1957 INVENTOR. 75a 4//e/7 Z. 5/0/76 BY@ZZ% M MW ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 7, 1941 UNl'lED S TAT'ES PATENT :OFIFICE v CONVEYING SYSTEM I j j-Allen L. Stone, San Francisco, Calif.; assignor, by mesne assignments, to Pneumastic Co.,.'In'c.,.a corporation of Nevada ApplicationDecember 20, 1937, SerialNo. 180,789

4 Claims. (cuss-4s) The*p resent invention relates to improvements in conveying systems, and is concerned more particularly with the provision of an improved system of the character referred to which can be used for conveying building materials such as plaster or concrete and other materials of similar character in a simple and expeditious manner to a desired point or points of disposal. 7

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved conveying system of the character referred to.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved conveying system which does not require complete filling to deliver material, so that the exact amount of material can be conveyed which is desired for use.

Another object of the inventionis to provide a distributing system which provides a continuous circulation of materials such as plaster or concrete, so that asupply is always available at any point along the system, and so that the material carried thereby is agitated constantly to avoid becoming unworkable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a conveying system which is self-cleaning and therefore avoids' expensive conditioning Work when its operation is stopped.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a hoisting and distributing system embodying the invention with a part of the structure including the tower shown somewhat diagrammatically. .1

Fig. 2 is a sectional viewof a portion of the distributing conveyorshowingthe feed end of such conveyor and its connection to .the hopper associated therewith, the plane of theview is indicated by the line 2-2 in Fig. 6. l i

Fig. 3 is a plan view, "in section, of-the base of the hoisting tower, theplane of the View be-' ing indicated by the line 33 in Fig. 4,

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional 'view through the base of the hoisting tower taken in a .planeindicated by the line 4 '4 in Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view-throughthe base of the hoisting tower taken in a plane of theline 5-5 in Fig. 4. a

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the hoisting tower.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view through the top unit of the tower. being taken in the plane oftheline |'|inFig'.6. 1' 1 m Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional. view of the top top unit of the unit; being taken'in the plane of the line 88 inFig. 7. A v

Referring to Fig. 1, the hoisting and distributing apparatus includes a hoisting unit or tower comprising base I5, a plurality of intermediate tower sections l6 and a top section IT with which is associated a horizontally disposed distributing unitor conveyor l8; On the tower base l5 there is provided an engine IS, a mixed 20 suitably driven therefrom, and a hopper 2| which re- 7 ceives material through a feed, chute 22 from the mixer 20. Mounted on the tower is a hoisting and circulating system including ascending and descending tube conduits 23 and 24 communicating with the hopper 2|, and through which an endless conveyor 25 is-driven. Generally, the operation of the apparatus is to mix the plastic material such as plaster or the like in the mixer 20, which maybe of conventional construction, and from which it is delivered to the hopper 2| which comprises a part of the vertical hoisting and circulating systemin which the material is kept in constant agitation, being conveyed up through conduit 23 and then either returned to the hoist hopper 2| through conduit 24 ordeposited in a distributing hopper as described hereinafter. i

Preferably, the towerbase |5 includes a supporting frame or platformr26 provided with sets of wheels 21 to enable movement of the tower from one location to another. The base section of the tower is carried by the frame 26 and may comprise verticallS disposed angles :of posts 28 at'the four corners of the tower which are joined by horizontally disposed angles 29 at the top and at the bottom. As seen most clearly in Figs. 4 and 5, the hopper. 2| is provided with a V-shaped bottom 3| which terminates in a trough 32 of semi-circular cross sectionto receive the conveyor 2'5-and form a part of the--circulating system. At the discharge side of the hopper 2| a surge'chamber 33 is provided above trough 32 by formed hood 34 secured above the trough and by arcuate strip 36 closing the end of the trough. The surge chamber 33 leads upwardly to a vertically disposed tube 31 secured to'a hori zontal angle 29 by a U-bolt 38 and forming the lower part of the hoisting conduit 23. Above the opposite end of the trough 32 a similar tube 39 is mounted similarly to provide the lower section of the return conduit 24 ofthe hopper and the respective tubes31 and 3S form the bottom portions of the elevating and return runs of the hoisting and circulating system.

Above the base section of the tower each successive tower section may comprise similar post angles 28a and horizontal angles 29a together with diagonally disposed braces 4| suitably connected thereto. It will be noted that the upper and lower horizontal angles of each section [6 are apertured to receive fastening bolts 42 by means of which the tower sections may be built up from the base to provide a tower of any desired height. Each tower section also includes a pair of opposite tube sections 43 of the respective conduits 23 and 24, the tube sections being suitably mounted on the associated frame section by U-bolts 38.

To connect adjacent tube sections, the lower,

end of each section 43 (Figs. 5, '7, and 8) is provided with a collar 44 secured thereon, as by welding, and having a vertically disposed wedge 46 formed thereon opposite a vertical slot 41.

Cooperating with the wedge 46 and the slot 4'Iv is a clamp collar 48 which is also slotted and loosely disposed about the collar 44 to engage over the wedge 46. Thus when the adjacent end 43a of a pipe section is placed within the collar 44 in end tov end cooperative relation with the tube 43, the clamp, collar 48 can be driven downwardly over the wedge 46 to contract the slotted collar 44 into clamping engagement with the end 43a of the cooperating tube section, and then the collar 48 may be driven laterally to twist slightly about the inner collar 44 and become firmly wedged in place. Similarly, the connection can be released easily by driving the clamp collar 48 in the opposite direction. It will be noted that the type of coupling disclosed not only provides for simple connection and disconnection between adjacent tubes, but also effectively prevents any clogging or corrosion of the cooperating parts by the material being handled.

The top section of the tower I! has a frame section including corner posts 28 and horizontal angles 29 similar to the other tower sections and is similarly mounted on the adjacent tower section H5, The conduit means of the top section includes a tube 9| leading from the adjacent tube 43 of the hoisting conduit 23, the tube 9| terminating at its upper end in a curved hood 92, and a tube 93 forming a part of the return conduit 24 and having a flared upper end 94 to receive the conveyor flights.

It will be understood that the intermediate sections N5 of the tower are interchangeable, and can be erected successively by being placed in position on the base, and then one on top of another, by installing the fastening bolts 42 and by tightening the clamp collars'48. The top section 11 of the tower is similarly erected on the uppermost intermediate tower section 16. Thus is it seen that the opposite vertically disposed conduits of sectional tubing provided form a part of a circulating system with the hoist hopper, and conveying means is associated therewith in the form of an endlesscable 5|, which is preferably also made up in sections to enable adjustment of its length to correspond to the height of the tower.

On the cable 5| a series of conveying flights are provided, each flight comprising a disc 52 of fibre or other suitable material held on the cable 5| in any suitable manner. The cable 5| F is preferably also of sectional construction, the

sections being connected by suitable joints, and it is preferred to make the cable section of a length to enable addition or removal'of one or more sections thereofin adding or removing tower sections.

The conveyor flights on the cable also serve to receive the drive for the conveyor, and to cooperate therewith a pair of driving sprockets 6| (Fig. 4) are secured on respective transverse shafts 62 extending through the bottom wall 3| of the hopper 2| and journalled by bearings 63 on horizontal frame angles 64. One of shafts 62 is provided with large sprocket wheel 66 which is driven through chain '61 from the engine sprocket 68. Adjacent sprocket wheel 66 a smaller sprocket wheel 69 is provided which is connected by chain H with sprocket wheel 12 on the other shaft 62, As seen in Fig. 4, each drive sprocket 6| is provided with a plurality of sprocket arms 16, three in number being shown, which are flat on one face and are bifurcated at the end to provide a disc engaging socket 11 which is defined by curved wall formed to fit the adjacent flange 54 of the disc.

The sprockets 6| drive the cable in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 4 so that material deposited in hopper 2| and flowing downwardly into trough 32 will be carried into the surge chamber 33 which will be kept substantially full of the material which is agitated constantly and the sprocket arms 16 having a width to fit closely within the walls of hood 34. As the flights of the conveyor travel through the surge chamber, each flight will lift a charge of material as it travels upwardly into the tube 31. It will be noted that because of the flexible character of the cable, a flight thereof can yield as it passes into the tube 31 in the event a stone or other obstruction is caught between the flight and t -e tube. Usually the amount carried by a flight will occupy about half of the space between adjacent flights. As the material is carried upwardly it may be selectively delivered from any section of the tower by means of a hinged gate 8| in the tube section 43 thereof pivoted at 82 and having a control lever 83 which may be operated from any convenient location by a cord 84 to open the door against the tension of the spring 86. Then as a disc passes by part or all of the material may flow outwardly and be caught by suitable trough and conveyed by a flexible hose or the like to any desired point of disposal;

To support and guide the conveyor between tubes 9i and .93 .a sprocket wheel 99 is provided on a shaft 91 'journalled by bearings 98 on the uppermost angles 29, the sprocket 96 being driven by the conveyor flights for a purpose later described. Atthe' opposite side of the tower top a second idler sprocket 99 is provided on ashaft I93 from which the conveyor extends downwardly into the return conduit 24.

Selective distributing means are provided at the top of the tower whereby the material which is carried upwardly, may be returned so as to circulate through the system or may be discharged if it is desired for use. For this purpose a discharge chute 1.06 issuitably mounted in the tower top I! and is provided with an inclined portion I91 which is disposed to receive material dischargedfrom the tube section 9! and which terminatesin a discharge trough I08 having its discharge end 199 disposed over a distributing hopper 'l H referred to hereinafter. Also leading from the discharge chute I98; is a conduit H2 (Figs. 1, '6 and 8) leading from the bottom of the chute to the tube section 93 of the return conduit. The top of the conduit H2 is normally closed by a gate H3 hinged at H l-and forming a part of the bottomiwall of the chute Hi8. By lifting the gate M3 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 8, the material discharged from the tube section 9| will travel through the discharge chute into the conduit H2 and back to the tube section 93 for return to the hopper ZI. With this adjustment of the parts, a drive of the hoisting conveyor will merely accomplish circulation of material through the hoisting system.

When the gate II 3 is closed, the material will flow down the chute I38 and be discharged into the distributing hopper III which is pivotally mounted at IIG on a platform II'I suitably secured to the tower top H. The bottom wall IZI of the distributing hopper III (Fig. 2) is inclined to lead to a surge chamber I22 secured thereon and housing a drive sprocket I23 similar in construction to those heretofore described and having its shaft I24 (Fig. 6) driven through universal joints I25 and telescoping shaft I26 from a sprocket I21 which is driven by chain I23 from a sprocket I23 (Fig. 1) on shaft 3?. In this manner, a universal drive connection is provided to accommodate swinging movement of the distributing conveyor relative to the tower.

Associated with the sprocket I23 is the distributing conveyor I3 similar in construction to the elevating conveyor and supported from the tower by a cable I3I. If desired, the conveyor I8 may be supported from suitable outriggers on the adjacent building wall. The conveyor I8 comprises a horizontally disposed circulating system made up of a series of opposite tube sections I32, each pair of such tube sections being suitably secured together by brackets I33 which may be welded thereto. The various sections of the distributing conveyor are detachably connected by couplings I34 and the lower tube I32 of each section is provided with a gate I35.

which may be selectively opened by manipulation of a lever I31 secured thereto, the gate being normally spring urged to closed position. Below the selected gate a discharge conduit may be provided including a flexible hose I38 having funnel shaped feed chute I39 suspended by bowl I40 from the conveyor. The end section of the horizontal conveyor is provided by a housing MI in which an idler sprocket I32 is suitably mounted to be driven by the flights of the cable conveyor so that if no gate I33 is opened, the material will be circulated through the distributing system until removal thereof at a desired point by opening a selected gate I36.

The swivel mounting of the hopper II I provides for swinging movement of the conveyor I8 through a desired arc so that it may be readily adjusted to provide the desired location of the gates I36 for discharge of the material.

While I have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of the invention it is to be understood that the invention is capable of both variation and modification from the forms shown. Therefore the scope of my invention should be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto. I, therefore, claim as my invention:

1. In a hoisting system, a circulating conveyor comprising a hopper, two conduits of tubing leading upwardly therefrom providing a hoisting conduit and a return conduit, an endless cable extending through said conduits having material conveying flights secured in spaced relation therealong, means for guiding and driving said cable to travel through said hopper and said tube, a discharge chute for receiving material from the discharge end of said hoisting conduit, and selectively operable means associated with said discharge chute for directing material therefrom to said return conduit.

2. In a hoisting system, a circulating conveyor comprising a hopper, two conduits of tubing leading upwardly therefrom providing a hoisting conduit and a return conduit, an endless conveyor traveling through said hopper and said conduits for carrying material therethrough, a discharge chute for receiving material from the discharge end of said hoisting conduit, and an auxiliary return conduit leading from Said discharge chute to said first-named return conduit.

3; In a hoisting system, a circulating conveyor comprising a hopper, two conduits of tubing leading upwardly therefrom providing a hoisting conduit and a return conduit, an endless conveyor traveling through said hopper and said conduits for carrying material therethrough, a discharge chute for receiving material from the discharge end of said hoisting conduit, an auxiliary return conduit leading from said discharge chute to said first-named return conduit, and means for selectively opening and closing said auxiliary return conduit.

4. In a hoisting system, a circulating conveyor comprising a hopper and two conduits of tubing leading upwardly therefrom, together with an endless conveyor extending through said hopper and said conduits, said two conduits providing a hoisting conduit and a return conduit, a surge chamber in said hopper at the lower end of said hoisting conduit, a discharge chute associated with the dis-charge end of said hoisting conduit, and selectively operable means for causing discharge of material from said discharge chute to a point of disposal and for returning material from said chute to said return conduit for recirculation therein.

ALLEN L. STONE. 

